Paint roller package



O Umted States Patent [:11 3,545,605

[72] Inventor Ruth Robins 3,184,050 5/1965 Dahlberg et al. 206/47 c/o Packaging Techniques, P.0. Box 6, El 3,286,909 11/1966 Scharre 229/51(1.S.) Segundo, California 90245 3,339,713 9/1967 Landau 206/78(B)X [21] Appl. No. 793,664 3,406,812 10/1968 Henry 206/47X [22] Filed Jan. 24, 1969 Prim E T J y xammerx mm ixson, r. [45] Patented 1970 Attorney-Harris, Kiech, Russell & Kern [54] PAINT ROLLER PACKAGE 5 D Fi zclalms' rawmg gs ABSTRACT: A paint roller package including a container [52] U-S.Cl 206/47 member having a bottom and sidewalls, and a backing [5i] lnt.Cl B6511 79/00, member, i container member adapted to be mounted to A46b 17/00 said backing member to encase a paint roller. A section of said [50] Field of Search 206/47, backing member is removable to provide access to said com 78(3) (lnqulled); 2295105) tainer member to remove the paint roller and to utilize said container member as a reservoir for a supply of paint for the [56] References Cited roller. The backing member extends outwardly from said UNITED STATES PATENTS sidewalls and provides lateral support for said container 2,892,541 6/1959 Hahn 206/78(B) member when said section is removed.

PAINT ROLLER PACKAGE This invention relates to a package for a paint roller or the like and more particularly to a package employing a plastic container mounted to a cardboard backing, commonly known as a blister package. Although principally .intended for such use as a blister package, the invention may have many related uses and all such uses are intended to be within the scope of the invention.

Blister packages of the type where a plastic container is mounted to a backing member to encase an article are in widespread use today. Typically, the plastic container is transparent to permit the object encased therein to be seen and this is a common form of packaging method to protect the object while providing visual inspection. Ordinarily the entire package including the container and backing are discarded when the object is removed. The container and the backing, therefore, are useful only as a means-for the protection and safe keeping of the encased article and for providing a means for the visual inspection of th'e'a'rticle while on display in the store. I

Accordingly, I have invented a new and useful package for a paint roller which provides the aforesaid advantages of the common blister packages together with the additional advantage of providing a'paint tray or reservoir for a supply of paint for the roller when the roller has been removed from the package. In this manner, the package itself provides the initial storage and visual display function as well as a paint supply tray which can be utilized during the subsequent painting operation. My paint roller package is inexpensively manufactured and is easily assembled into the initial package and readjusted to a paint supply tray device.

More particularly, my paint roller package includes a plastic-type transparent or translucent container member havinga-bottom and sidewalls and a substantially planar cardboard-backing member, with'the container member adapted to be mounted to the backing member to encase a paint roller.

A section of the backing member above the container member is removable to provide access to the container member to remove the paint roller and to utilize the container member as a paint supply reservoir. The backing member extends outwardly from the sidewalls of the container member and provides lateral support for the container member when the section is removed. A portion of the backing member is bendable downward and the package is adapted to rest on and be supported by the bottom of the container member and the outer edge of the downwardly bent portion of the backing member. One of the sidewalls of the container member slopes angularly upwardly from the bottom to the backing member and includes a plurality of upwardly protruding rib members.

It is an object of my invention, therefore, to provide a package for a paint roller or the like which is inexpensively manufactured and easily assembled.

Another object of my invention is to provide such a package which may serve both as a package to encase and display the paint roller and as a tray for a supply of paint.

' A further object of my invention is to provide such a package which is rigid in construction and includes lateral support for the paint supply tray.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a bottom plan viewof a my assembled package;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of am my assembled package;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the assembled package;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of my package utilized as apaint tray; and

FIG. 5 is a sideview of the package of FIG. 4.

Referring now to the drawing, my package assembly will be designated by the reference numeral 10. The package assembly includes a container member 12 affixed or mounted to a backing member 14 to encase a paint roller 16. A section 18 (FIG. 2) of the backing member 14 above the container member 12 is removable to permit access to the container member 12 to remove the paint roller 16 and to utilize the container member 12 as a reservoir for a supply of paint (not shown) for the roller. The backing member 14 extends laterally outwardly from the container member 12 when mounted thereto and provides lateral support for the con- .tainer member 12 when the removable section 18 has been removed from the backing member 14. A portion 20 of the backing member 14 is adapted to fold or bend downwardly from the remainder of the backing member 14 and provides a support face or edge for the package when the package 10 is resting on a bottom portion 22 of the container member 12 (FIG. 5).

More particularly, and in the illustrated form of my invention, the container member 12 is preferably formed of a transparent or translucent plastic material to permit inspection of the paint roller 16 when on display and encased in the package 10. The container member 12 includes the bottom portion 22 and front and rear sidewalls 24 and 26 and right and left sidewalls 28 and 30. The sidewalls 26, 28 and 30 preferably are vertically disposed and are perpendicular to the bottom portion 22. The front wall 24 preferably slopes angularly upwardly from the bottom portion 22 to the backing member 14 (FIGS. 3 and 5).

The backing member 14 preferably is planar in configuration and is formed of a cardboard material. Preferably the backing member 14 is sized to completely cover the container member 12 and to extend laterally outwardly on all sides of the container member 12. The container member 12 is suitably mounted or affixed to the backing member 14 and an outer peripheral edge member 34 which is coplanar with the backing member 14 and which extends outwardly from all sides of the container member- 12 may be provided for this purpose. The backing member '14 is suitably attached'to the container member 12 at or about this peripheral edge portion 34 of the container member 12. The paint roller 16 is encased within the package 10 when i the container member 12 is mounted to the backing member 14 and the package 10 is in condition for storage or for display with visual inspection of the paint roller 16. The paint roller 16 is protected during storage and display with this construction.

The container member 14 includes the removable section 18 which is formed by a cutting or tear line 40 perforated or otherwise suitably formed in he the backing member 14. The

removable section 18 is positioned in the backing member 14 substantially directly above the container member 12 so that when the section 18 is removed access to the container member 12 is provided (FIG. 4). A punch-out nib portion 42 (FIG. 2) may be provided in the removable portion 18 to assist its easy removal. In this regard, the nib portion 42 would be punched out to provide a finger grip area and the backing portion 14 would be cut or torn along the cutting or tear line 40 and the section 18 would then be lifted away from the package 10.

Once the section 18 is removed, the package 10 may now be utilized as a tray or paint supply reservoir for the roller 16. The roller 16 is removed from the container 12 and the package 10 is placed on the suitable support surface 46 (FIG. 5) such as a table where the package 10 rests on the bottom portion 22 of the container member 12. The foldable portion 20 of the backing member 14 provides an additional support for the package 10. A fold line 48 or other such means is provided in the backing member 14 preferably parallel to and outwardly adjacent upper edge 50 of the upwardly slanting front side 24 of the container member lZfiBy bending or folding the portion 20 downwardly along the fold line 48, the lower or outward edge 52 of the portion 20 will rest upon the surface 46 to provide the additional support for the package 10. Other edges of the backing member 14 may be folded down in various configurations if desired.

When the package is utilized as a paint supply reservoir or tray, the paint (not shown) is deposited in the container member 12 and settles to the bottom thereof. The paint roller 16 is then dipped'or rolled in this paint supply. In order that the proper amount of paint maybe deposited on the roller 16, a plurality of upwardly protruding rib members 56 (FIG. 4) is provided in the upwardly slanting front wall 24 of the container member l2.-Excess paint deposited on the roller 16 will be removed from the roller as it is gently rolled along and against the rib members 56. It has been found that by placing the rib members-56 at an oblique angle to the path of the paint roller 16, the most efficient usage of these rib members may be obtained. However, rib members positioned at any oblique angle or perpendicular to the path of the paint roller 16 are intended to be within the scopeof the invention. Longitudinal rib members 58 may also be provided in the upwardly sloping wall 24 to provide additional stability to the container member- 12. As the package 10 is used as a paint tray for the roller 16, and, as the roller l6is moved along the ribs 56 and relative to the container member 12, the package 10 is supported both by the bottom portion 22 of the container member 12 and by the outer edge 52 of the bendable portion of the backing member 14.

l have provided, therefore, a blister-type package for a paint roller or the like which serves not only as a storage and transparent display package for the roller but which is easily adaptable for use as a tray or paint supply reservoir for the roller. MY package is durable in construction and providesnovel additional features to the blister packages now utilized.

Although I have described in some detail an embodiment of my invention, changes, modifications, and substitutions may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a package for a paint roller, the combination of:

a container member for the paint roller and including a support portion;

a backing member for said container member, with said container member mounted to said backing member to encase the paint roller;

means defining a removable section of said backing member, the removal of said section permitting access to said container member to remove the paint roller and to utilize said container member as a container for a supply of paint when the package is resting on said support portion;

said container member including a bottom and sidewalls, one of said sidewalls sloping angularly upwardly from said bottom to said backing member, said bottom forming the support portion of said container member;

with said removable section substantially above said container member and with said backing member substantially planar and extending outwardly from said sidewalls and providing lateral support for said walls when said section is removed; and with said backing member including means defining a fold line outwardly adjacent the upper edge of said sloping wall and providing a bendable portion of said backing member, the outer edge of said bendable portion providing an additional support for the package when said bendable portion is bent downward. 2. A paint roller package as defined in claim 1 wherein said container member is transparent with the roller being visible therethrough. 

